Monday, December 8, 2003
Political Notebook: McCain is sticking to GOP, even if he's thorn in its side
By C.J. Karamargin
ARIZONA DAILY STAR
The time: June 2001.
The place: Page One of The Washington Post.
The story: A "widening rift" between President Bush and Sen. John McCain is prompting the Arizona Republican to consider leaving the GOP.
Fast-forward to December 2003. The rift appears as wide as ever.
Iraq. Medicare. Energy. On these issues and numerous others, it's hard to tell that McCain and Bush belong to the same party.
But despite some high-profile differences, McCain said in Tucson last week that he has no intention of jumping ship.
"I'm a strong believer in the party of Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt," he told reporters at his Downtown office. "My party strays sometimes, but my job is not to leave the party but to try to lead it back."
Besides, he added, "It seems to me that there's only one group that's worse off than the Republicans and that's the Democrats."
Clark's ads show
his military might
The pace of presidential politics picked up in Arizona last week with the launch of a TV ad by Wesley Clark, one of nine Democrats running for president.
Essentially a 60-second bio of the former Army general and NATO commander, the ad touts Clark's military record in Vietnam and the Balkans. It calls him "a leader to clean up the mess in Iraq."
The spot says a lot about Clark's strategy, said Paul Eckerstrom, chairman of the Pima County Democratic Party. "They're playing hard in Arizona," he said.
But Eckerstrom said failing to do well here and in the other six states that go to the polls on Feb. 3 could mean an end to more than a few campaigns. "Arizona will serve as a major filter," he said.
Eckerstrom named Clark as one of the "major players" in the crowded field of White House hopefuls, along with Howard Dean and Dick Gephardt. He said the fortunes of the others - John Edwards, John Kerry, Dennis Kucinich, Joe Lieberman, Carol Moseley Braun and Al Sharpton - will depend on their performances in the Jan. 19 Iowa caucuses and Jan. 27 New Hampshire primary.
Clark, by the way, also announced last week a senior campaign staff that includes Victoria Tinajero as field director. Until a few weeks ago, Tinajero was the executive director of Pima County's Democratic Party.
"Presidential campaigns are very sexy and attract a lot of good people," Eckerstrom said.
Get registered
Arizona's primary is eight weeks away, on Feb. 3. To cast a ballot in it, you must be registered to vote by Jan. 5. And you must be a registered Democrat.
Early voting begins about two weeks before the election. The last day to request an early ballot is Jan. 30. Voter registration forms are available all over town. Call the County Recorder's Office, 740-4330, for more info or to request an early ballot.
Reich to talk here
Miss the Clinton years?
Get a taste of the way things were - and maybe an insight or two on the way things might be - on Sunday when Robert Reich, the secretary of labor in Clinton's first term, comes to town.
Reich, now a professor at Brandeis University, will deliver the keynote speech at the Pima County Democratic Party's annual Honor Roll Gala. This year's honorees are Elaine Richardson, Ruth Solomon, Marion Pickens and Heather LaMear.
The event gets under way at 6 p.m. at the Doubletree Hotel at Reid Park, 445 S. Alvernon Way. Tickets are available from Judy Nagle, 577-8756.
Just maybe they
won't meet
Maybe we really can't get along.
A week ago today, the City Council voted unanimously to seek a meeting with the county Board of Supervisors about next year's plans for a bond election. As of Friday afternoon, the city had not yet contacted the county.
"We're trying to target early January, but we don't know if that's even a viable date for the supervisors," said city spokesman Jay Gonzales.
Councilwoman Shirley Scott won't be upset if a meeting never happens. The Ward 4 Democrat issued a rare statement on Friday saying she's changed her mind.
"It is inappropriate to impose our will on a process that, by law, belongs to the county," she said. "The city should disengage from their plans to meet with the county."
* Contact reporter C.J. Karamargin at 573-4243 or at cjkarama@azstarnet.com.
